Question

Topic: Website Critique

Can You See This Website Ok?

Posted by Chris Blackman on 9/18/2009 at 12:33 AM ET 500 Points
My client has a website in the final stages of production - they are just adding to the product inventory in the online catalogue.

Problem is, we are getting reports some users cannot see the website which has been up now for a couple of weeks.

What can you see at https://www.abcommercial.com.au ?

Can you see a predominantly grey/red website?

Or an error message from PrimeInternet saying 'New website! No website files have been uploaded to this domain yet."

If you can see the website, what are your thoughts?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 9/18/2009 at 12:41 AM Accepted
    hey Chris,

    I'm on a mac with firefox and I can see the site fine. Like the tone and feel, very clean.

    Steve
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 9/18/2009 at 12:51 AM Author
    Thanks Steve. I should have asked responders to indicate where they are in the world, approximately.

    I suspect there is a local DNS glitch somewhere that will most likely fix itself over time, but it seems it's probably just annoying us in the area around Melbourne, Australia at the moment!
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 9/18/2009 at 12:55 AM Accepted
    the surfing city of newport beach CA
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 9/18/2009 at 12:57 AM Author
    LOL - I know where YOU are, Steve!

    How's the surf? Apart from dark at the moment!
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 9/18/2009 at 1:29 AM Accepted
    it's pretty small dude, the hurley pro at trestles is suffering. maybe a sse this weekend :)
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 9/18/2009 at 8:39 AM Accepted
    Canada's Ocean Playground, Nova Scotia now checking in.

    Looks good very smart from here ..... even though it is upside down ;))

    I seem to remember a site that offers a one page thumbnail views of 'your site' by all the main web page players/providers/formats out there.

    Sorry I can't remember the site ... perhaps someone else does.



  • Posted on 9/18/2009 at 8:40 AM Accepted
    I can see it just fine here in the Big Apple (New York City). I'm running Firefox 3.5.2 on Mac OS 10.4.

    No scrolling required to see the text.

    The tag at the bottom of the home page that links to the Veneto equipment page is a bit off (the "t" at the end is outside the link).

    It's nicely laid out, but there's too much gray. It all runs together too much.

    Also, you say "we" an awful lot (the customer should be the star).

    Jodi
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 9/18/2009 at 8:51 AM Accepted
    It is fine in Atlanta using Vista and IE.

    Also checked with iPhone and it was fine also.


    Your issues could have been due to some people having the old site (when you had nothing on it) being cached in memory of teh browser. That's my guess. Have them release the files in the browser. they should do taht every once in a while anyway.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 9/18/2009 at 8:59 AM Accepted
    Dear ChrisB,

    In an overcast Wilmington, Delaware (home of VP Joe Biden), I now know that AB Commercial is a leading supplier of commercial gelato and ice cream manufacturing equipment.

    I'm using a Mac and viewing with Safari and apart from a few teeny weeny issues, your site looks fine. On the Products page, the menu on the left seems off: the leading's out and the words Machine both run into the lines above. I'm not sure the colour scheme says "ice cream", but perhaps as a B2B site, that doesn't matter.

    Otherwise, it looks fine. I hope this helps.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA
    Follow me on www.twitter.com @GaryBloomer
  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 9/18/2009 at 8:59 AM Accepted
    I ran the site on https://browsershots.org and it did show a couple combinations that don't work. The noteworthy one was Firefox 3.5.1 and Windows XP which shows a blank screen.

    Bob
  • Posted by mgoodman on 9/18/2009 at 1:52 PM Accepted
    Looks fine in Connecticut, Chris. Win XP Pro and Firefox.

    Too much gray, not very exciting/interesting. Could use some images/pictures of product in use instead of machine beauty shots.

    No images on product/brand pages. I assume you're working on those now.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/18/2009 at 11:49 PM Accepted
    Chris - take a look at https://browsershots.org/
    It'll take a snapshot of what your webpage looks like in a wide range of browsers and let you scroll through the images in little time. It won't help your DNS issue, but will allow you to check display across a wide range of browsers/OSes.
  • Posted on 9/19/2009 at 11:58 AM Accepted
    Chris,
    as seem from comments (none of new visitors have a problem with seeing your web site) this must be cache problem.
    To be sure just ask people who don't see your web site to hit Ctrl + F5 (full page reload). Most likely it will fix the problem.
  • Posted by K.J.P. on 9/20/2009 at 10:43 AM Accepted
    hi chris,

    viewing the website via firefox 3.5.2 and on mac OS 10.4. in dubai.

    first thing that struck me was the website address vis-a-vis content. i was ready to see products for abs, hahaha, hope you wont find that comment too cheeky but was surprised its gelato products. i clicked on products, and the text on the left metatags are garbled, on top of each other.

    i like that the website is clean, but your gelato and ice cream specialists--so i'd go for a yummier website, one that invites "oh yes, that gelato's a dream, i want that." if you are engaging business owners to be your partners, the website has to provide them an inroad where they feel you identify with them delivering gelato and ice cream treats to their customers. sorry to be carried away a bit. i did a similar project for a viennese coffee company wanting to set-up distribution for coffee solutions including equipment in the MENA region.

    hope this helps and good luck.

    kristine
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 9/20/2009 at 4:29 PM Author
    Thanks everyone for the ideas and for checking out the site.

    Seems like the problem of not being able to see the website is confined to browsing from inside the client company's network. There must be some website caching going on inside their web filtering services - I'll get that checked out.

    The site is a B2B targeting commercial buyers of gelato and ice-cream production equipment. So the customers will be industrial and artisan gelato and ice cream makers, which will include gelateria owners and operators.

    The company name is very well known in its field although it used to supply not just ice cream manufacturing equipment and ingredients, but also a wide range of commercial cooking equipment too. The commercial cooking equipment business has been separated off, and is now working only through distributor channels. Their website is under construction at www.veneto.com.au

    As www.abcommercial.com.au is targeting only commercial/industrial buyers of equipment and ingredients (the company does not make or sell ice cream itself, except for demonstration/training purposes - that's the customer's business), do you think it's important that the site looks/feels like ice cream and gelato in the sense a consumer might see it?

    Thanks

    Chris

  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 9/21/2009 at 7:38 PM Author
    Thanks everyone.

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